H

How to type it

Right index finger; hold Shift for the capital. Introduced in Lesson 5: Home row: g and h.

Common uses

• H is a breathy sound in hat and is silent in words like hour and honest.
• H combines with other letters to make common sounds, as in th, sh, ch, and wh.

Less common uses

• H is the chemical symbol for hydrogen.
• In chess, h is the rightmost file as seen from White's side.
• The letter's name is spelled aitch, and some speakers say haitch.